Touring dining cabinet



E. R. WHEALDON TOURING DINING CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 18, 19 2s I Jan. 6. 1925. 1,522,163

E. R. WHEALDON TOURING DINING CABINET Filed June' 18, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q i Mao/Jab Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

WFWTEE ET ESTELLA R.-WHEALDON, 0F TACOMA, VIASHINGTON.

TOURING DINING CABINET.

Application filed June.18, 1923.

10,to.be mounted on the step of an automobile. The objects of the invention are to provide sucha cabinet adapted to hold the various dishes, foods, and tools used in touring and camping, a portionof which unfolds to provide a table at which the meals. maybe eaten; and whichis entirely i closed when the table is put up and is open when the table is placed in using position.

I attainthese and other objects by the devices, mechanisms and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my cabinet, in closed position, mounted on the side of an automobile; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of the interior thereof to illustrate the plate holding device; Figs. 3 and 1 are perspective views of the left: and right-hand upper corners, respectlvely, showing the cabinet lock in use; Fig. 5 1s a perspective view showing the cabinet open and the table ready for use; Figs. 6 and 7 are end elevations of the cabinet in its open and closed positions, respectively, showing one) form of the table support; Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of the cabinet 1n closed and open positions, respectively, showing the preferred form of table support; Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the slide plate of said table support; and Fig. 11 is a section of a portion of the cabinet, open, showingsaid table support in operative position.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen i that the cabinet is formed of a back board Serial No. 646,074.

extension top board :6, respectively. The main table board. 5is hinged at-itslower edge to the upper edge of the. lower front board 4, to swingoutward therefrom, and the extension board 6 is hinged at its edge to the upper edge of the board 5. The sizes,

of the boards 5 and 6 are. such as to completely close the front and top of thecabinet when they are in the closing position.

The interior of the cabinet is subdivided by various shelves and partitions into spaces adapted to. receive the articles needed, for instance, the space 7 may hold a gasoline stove, the drawer 8 may containthe silverware. and cooking tools, the coifee pot and container tins may be placed in thespace 9, cups in the space 10, tins of sugar, salt, etc., in space 11, trays in-space 12, plates, ,pans and covers in space 13. A drawer 14 (Figs. 1 and 11) opens in the left-hand end of the cabinet and occupies the space back of the lower front board 4. This drawer 14 is preferably metal lined and is adapted to receive the'milk bottles, bread, and other food and may have an ice container therein to keep the contents of the drawer cool.

' The table boards 5 and 6 are held in closed position by means of a rod15. This rod is long enough to extend across the entire front of the cabinet and its right-hand end (Fig. 4c) is bent at substantially right-angles twice to form the short arm 16 and the vertical pivot 17. The pivot 17 is mounted in suitable sockets or holders 18 on the end board 2 and is adapted to turn therein. so that the rod may be swung from its open position (Fig. 5), where it maybe used as a towel rack, to its closed position (Figs. 3 and 4;) where it lies in the opened joint between the boards 5 and 6. When it is in this closed position it engages and presses against the edge of the board 6. The free end of the rod 15 is engaged by a suitable clamp, strap, or loop 19 secured to thelefthand end board 3 of the cabinet. Thus, when the rod 15 is in thisposition and is held by the loop 19, the boards 5 and 6 are held tightly closed.

Referring next to Figs. 8-11, wherein the preferred form of table support is illustrated, it will be seen that a double brace rod 20 is pivoted in the fitting 21' at. the center of the lower edge of. the front board 4 of the cabinet, and extends upward therefrom and is free to turn. outwards therein. The upper ends 22 of this double brace rod 20 are bent at right-angles outward, in alignment with each other, and pass through suitable holes in the flanges 23 of the slide plate 24. This slide plate 24 is stiffened by the said flanges 23, which preferably extend from end to end thereof. The plate 24 is provided with a long slot 25. Two screws 26 and 27 pass through the slot 25 and into the table board 5, their heads extending over the edges of the slot 25, whereby the plate 24 is guided. When the board 5 is in its vertical or closed position the screw 26 is at the upper end of the slot 25, and the screw 27 is slightly lower down. When the board 5 is in its horizontal or open position the screw 27 engages the lower end of the slot 25 and prevents the plate from sliding further from the hinges connecting the boards 5 and 4. In this position the double rod 20 forms the table brace or support and holds it in a horizontal position. In order to prevent the extension board 6 from being accidentally tipped up, when in use as a table, I provide a screw 28 fastened into the part 6 in such position as to permit its head to engage over the upper end of the sliding plate 24, or the notch 29 therein, when in the horizontal position, thus locking the parts 5 and 6 together. In order to close the cabinet it is only necessary to raise up on the part 5 and the plate 24 then slides towards the hinges connecting the parts 4 and 5, and its upper edge is withdrawn fro-m the screw 28, thus releasing the extension 6 so that it may be turned on its hinges.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 6 and 7 T have shown therein another form of table support. This consists of a wooden strip made of two parts 30 and 31, hinged together at 32, and four loops 33, 34, and 36 secured to the cabinet in alignment. The loop 33 is mounted on the top or extension board 6, the loop 34 is near the top of the main board 5, the loops 35 and 36 are on the front board 4, one slightly above the other. When the cabinet is closed (Fig. 1) then the upper end of the strip 30 lies in the loop 34 and'the lower end of the strip 31 is in both the loops 35 and 36. Thus the part 5 is held from movement on its hinges, relatively to the part 4. In order to release it the extension part 6 is turned up on its hinges and. the strip 30 is slid upward until the lower end of the part 31 is drawn out of both the loops 35 and 36 and the upper end of the strip 30 enters the loop 33. The parts 5 and 6. are thus locked together to form the table board because the strip 30 engages both loops 33 and 34. The hinge 32 is now just below and engages the lower side of the loop 34 but cannot pass therethrougln Then the table is turned down into horizontal position and the lower end of the strip 31 is placed so as to engage the upper side of the lower loop 36 and braces the table in position since the hinge cannot pass through the loop Referring now to Fig. 2; the compartment 13 of the cabinet is provided with three horizontally arranged spiral springs 37, 38 and 39, each loop of which is fastened to the walls or floor of said compartment. Plates or covers, etc., areheld in place and prevented from rattling by means of these three holders because their edges are slipped between the consecutive coils of said springs and said springs engage the said articles at widely separated points. In practice the springs 37 and 39 are on the side walls and engage opposite points inthe diameter of the plate, while the spring 38 is on the floor of the compartment and engages the lowest point of the plate.

Having therefore described my invention what I claim is 1. A cabinet comprising floor, rear and side walls fixedly secured together and having removable front and top boards closing the cabinet; hinging means securing said front and top boards together to form a single table board; hinging means securing the front board to the cabinet and permitting said board to swing downward from said closing position into a horizontal position; and means mounted on the front board and engaging the top board, when in its unfolded position, to lock said top board in relation to said front board.

2. A cabinet as set forth in claim 1, wherein said top board locking means comprises a part slidably mounted on the front board and extending under the top board, when in its unfolded position, together with a fastening means secured to the top board and engaged by said sliding part whereby the top board is locked.

3. A cabinet as set forth in claim 1, wherein said top board locking means comprises a fastening means secured to the top board, a brace engaging the cabinet, and a sliding member pivoted to the brace and slidably mounted on the front board, whereby, when the table is unfolded, the brace forces the sliding member to extend under the top board and to engage the fastening means thereon whereby the top board is locked.

4. A touring dining cabinet provided with fixed side walls and front and top removable boards closing the cabinet and hinged to gether; in combination with locking means mounted on one side wall and extending across the cabinet and engaging the top board to prevent the removal of both said boards from closing position; and means secured to the other side wall and removably engaging and holding said locking means in said locking position.

5. Atouring dining cabinet as set forth in leased from said holding means, may be 10 claim 4, wherein. the locking means extends swung from said locking position. across the cabinet and engages the edge of 7. A touring dining cabinet as set forth the top board in the joint between the said in claim 4, wherein said locking means com- 5 boards to prevent the removal of both said prises a rod hinged to said first side wall and boards from looking position. adapted to form a towel rack when swung 1 l 6. A touring dining cabinet as set forth from said locking position.

in claim 4, wherein the locking means is hinged to said first side wall and, when re- ESTELLA R. WHEALDON. 

